FR2884132A1 - Dental X-ray image acquisition device, has digital wireless communications unit complying with Bluetooth standard, and control unit transferring image to computer as soon as wireless communication is properly established - Google Patents

Abstract

The device has a control unit (20) controlling an in-mouth sensor (10) to trigger acquisition of an image, store the image and transfer the image to a computer (30) through a wireless communications unit (22). The wireless communications unit complies with a Bluetooth standard. A control unit (20`) transfers the image to the computer as soon as a wireless communication is properly established.

Description

2884132 1

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the general field of dental radiology devices and systems.

  More particularly, the invention relates to a radiology device comprising digital wireless communication means, for the transfer of radiological images, to a computer for viewing and / or storage.

  Dental radiology systems are known which use digital radiocommunication technology to transfer images to a computer, for example for viewing.

  But the known systems to date have the disadvantage of consuming a lot of energy and being very sensitive to interference.

  However, in a dental radiology office, many devices are likely to produce interference that makes wireless communication difficult.

  OBJECT AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The main purpose of the present invention is thus to overcome such drawbacks by proposing a dental radiological image acquisition device comprising: an intraoral sensor; a control box able to control the intraoral sensor to trigger the acquisition of the image, to memorize, and to transfer this image to at least one computer, via wireless digital communication means conforming to the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard such as as defined by the standard IEEE 802.15 version 2 and following.

  The device according to the invention solves the aforementioned problems, the Bluetooth technology (registered trademark) being very low in energy consumption and particularly robust to interference. Images acquired can also be viewed on terminals of different types (mobile phone, PDA, ...).

  Traditionally, the Bluetooth standard is not used to transfer digital images, because of a limited flow compared to wired installations in particular.

  The Applicant has overcome this prejudice by proposing a dental radiology system using the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard for the transfer of dental X-rays because its device includes a preview mode in which a low-resolution image of the snapshot is transferred, this requesting transfer a time acceptable by the practitioner, the missing information to reconstitute the high resolution image being transferred in a second non-critical time from the point of view of the medical examination.

  Preferably, the device according to the invention comprises control means able to: - preserve the image in a memory if no wireless communication is correctly established with at least one computer; and - to transfer this image to at least one computer as soon as said communication is correctly established.

  With this feature, it is no longer necessary to resume snapshots, when a snapshot is poorly transmitted, for example for an interference problem, or if it is not received by a misconfigured computer or off, which has the disadvantage in the known systems of subjecting the patient to additional radiation. This feature also avoids a significant loss of time for taking unnecessary shots.

  In a preferred embodiment, the control means are adapted to receive a command from a computer via the wireless communication means and to parameterize the control box with information extracted from this command.

  The invention thus enables a practitioner to customize his pictures according to the parameters specific to each patient and / or the anatomical area observed.

  In a preferred embodiment, the device according to the invention comprises a register, for storing at least one configuration value allowing this device to communicate with at least one computer.

  This characteristic advantageously makes it possible to constitute a true Bluetooth (registered trademark) network, inside a cabinet or a service comprising several chairs, which makes it possible to limit the necessary space requirement and the equipment costs of the equipment. care center.

  Thus, according to a second aspect, the invention also relates to a dental radiology system comprising at least one dental radiological image acquisition device as briefly described above and at least one computer comprising compliant wireless communication means. Bluetooth standard (registered trademark) to communicate with this device.

Brief description of the drawings

  Other features and advantages of the present invention will emerge from the description given below, with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an exemplary embodiment of the invention devoid of any limiting character, and in which: - Figure 1 represents a dental radiology system according to the invention in a preferred embodiment; and FIG. 2 represents a method implemented by a dental radiological image acquisition device according to the invention.

  Detailed description of an embodiment

  FIG. 1 represents a wireless dental radiology system 1 according to the invention in a preferred embodiment.

  This system comprises at least one computer 30 equipped with wireless digital telecommunications means complying with the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard, as defined by the IEEE 802.15 version 2 and following standard.

  In a preferred embodiment, the wireless communication means comply with the Bluetooth 2.0 EDR standard (for Enhanced Data Rate).

  In this document, the word computer designates any digital data processing system, namely in particular for viewing and / or storing dental radiological images.

  The computer 30 is capable of communicating, using the Bluetooth telecommunications means 32 (registered trademark), with a control box 20 connected by a cable 11 to an intraoral sensor 10 comprising a CCD sensor.

  In particular, the practitioner can send, from the computer 30, a command, using the wireless telecommunication means 32, to configure the control unit 20, with parameters specific to the patient.

  The control unit 20 comprises means 24 adapted to generate control and control signals of the CCD sensor, these signals being conveyed on the cable 11.

  Alternatively, the CCD sensor can be replaced by a CMOS sensor.

  To communicate with the computer 30, the control unit 20 comprises wireless telecommunications means 22 compliant with the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard and compatible with the wireless telecommunications means 32 of the computer 30.

  In the embodiment described here, at the commissioning of the control unit 20, a computer 30 and this control unit 20 check in registers 27, if they are configured with a value ID_COMO authorizing Bluetooth communication (registered trademark ) between these elements for the transfer of a dental image I and its capture by the computer 30.

  In the example of Figure 1: - the computer 30 is configured to communicate with the control boxes 20 and 20 '; and the computer 30 'is configured to communicate only with the control box 20'.

  These computers 30, 30 'may have different functions.

  For example, the computer 30 'can serve as a basis for archiving dental radiology for medico-legal purposes.

  In known manner, the control unit 20 comprises a memory 26 for storing a dental image I acquired by the sensor 10. This image can notably be corrected, for example in the case of a defective pixel by image processing means 23 of the housing 20.

  All the elements of the housing 20 are connected to the same bus 127 and controlled by a processor or DSP 25.

  The processor 25 is particularly adapted, in response to a command from the computer 30, received by the wireless means 22, to return any portion P3 of the image I, especially in case of poor reception.

  The processor 25 comprises means for determining whether at least one communication is correctly established with at least one computer 30. In practice, the processor 25 checks, for example, whether the information transmitted to the computers 30, 30 'with which it communicates are acknowledged.

  The processor 25 is also able to turn on a light 28, for example constituted by an LED, when communication is established and maintained with at least one computer 30, 30 '.

  According to the invention, the control unit 20 is able to store the dental image I in the memory 26, if no Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication is correctly established with a computer 30, 30 'of the system 1. system is said to be autonomous.

  This feature is particularly useful if the computer 30 is off, out of service, or misconfigured.

  We will now describe with reference to Figure 2, the main steps of a method implemented by the image acquisition device described above with reference to Figure 1.

  When the practitioner performs a snapshot (step E10), the dental radiological image I is stored (step E20) in the memory 26.

  This storage step E20 is followed by a test E30 in which the processor 25 checks whether a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication is correctly established with at least one computer 30, 30 'of the system 1.

  As long as this is not the case, the result of the test E30 is negative, and the processor 25 continues to search the network for a computer 30, 30 'with which the control unit 20 can establish a Bluetooth (registered trademark) communication. correct allowed.

  When a communication is established with a computer 30, the result of the test E30 is positive. This test is then followed by a step E40 2884132 6 during which a low resolution image of the snapshot is transferred to the Bluetooth (registered trademark) link.

  In practice, this low-resolution image can be obtained by selecting one pixel out of four in the representation in memory 26 of the plate I. We speak of preview mode.

  The step E40 of transmission of the low resolution image is followed by a step E50 during which the processor 25 verifies that the low resolution image has been received in its entirety by the computer 30.

  In practice, the processor 25 checks for example whether all parts of the low resolution image successively transmitted to the computer 30 have been acknowledged. If not, the missing low resolution image parts are retransmitted.

  When the low resolution image has been fully transmitted, the step E50 is followed by a step E60 in which the missing information to reconstruct the dental image I in its entirety, is read in the memory 26 and transferred to the computer 30.

Claims (2)

7 CLAIMS   A dental radiographic image acquisition device (10, 20), comprising: - an intraoral sensor (10); a control box (20) able to control the intraoral sensor (10) to trigger the acquisition of said image (I), to memorize, and to transfer this image (I) to at least one computer (30, 30 '), via digital wireless communication means (22), said device being characterized in that said wireless communication means (22) comply with the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard, and in that it includes a preview mode in which a low resolution image of said image (I) is transferred in a first step, this first transfer requiring a time acceptable by the practitioner, the missing information to reconstitute said image (I) in its entirety being transferred in a second time not critical from the point of view of the medical examination.   2. Device (10, 20) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises control means (25) able to: - preserve said image (I) in a memory (26) if no wireless communication n is correctly established with said at least one computer (30, 30 '); and transferring said image (I) to said at least one computer (30, 30') as soon as said communication is correctly established.   3. Device (10, 20) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said control means (25) are adapted to receive a command from said computer (30) via said communication means (22) without wire, and parametering said control box (20) with information extracted from said command.   4. Device (10, 20) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that it comprises a register 27, for storing at least one configuration value (ID_COMO) allowing said device to communicate with said at least a computer (30, 30 ').   5. System (1) for dental radiology, characterized in that it comprises at least one dental radiographic image acquisition device (10, 20) according to any one of Claims 1 to 4. and at least one computer (30, 30 ') having wireless communication means (32) conforming to the Bluetooth (registered trademark) standard for communicating with said device.